Homemade Marshmallow Recipe: Soft, Fluffy, and Irresistibly Delicious

Transform your dessert experience with this incredible Homemade Marshmallow Recipe. Forget store-bought; these marshmallows are a revelation – unbelievably soft, perfectly sweet, and boasting an ultra-fluffy texture with a pure, delightful vanilla flavor. While they might seem intimidating, with just a stand mixer and a reliable candy thermometer, you’ll find them surprisingly easy and immensely rewarding to make.

A Personal Touch from the Author

Experience the Magic: Soft, Bouncy, Perfect Homemade Marshmallows!

Growing up, few things brought me as much joy as a steaming mug of hot chocolate, absolutely piled high with marshmallows. It was a childhood ritual: piping hot, extra cocoa-rich, topped with a mountain of soft, billowy clouds. That was, until I embarked on a trip to France. There, I discovered true sipping chocolate – a thick, velvety concoction served with freshly made, homemade marshmallows. It was a life-altering culinary experience.

The difference was profound. The artisan marshmallows I tasted were not just soft; they were incredibly springy, slowly melting into a gorgeous, glossy cap atop the rich, deep cocoa. The flavor was cleaner, the texture more ethereal. I knew instantly that I had to recreate that magic in my own kitchen.

Upon returning home, I eagerly announced to my children that we were going to make French-inspired marshmallows. It wasn’t an instant success, requiring several rounds of meticulous testing to perfect the syrup’s consistency and achieve that ideal, impossibly fluffy whip. But with persistence, I finally nailed it. The moment of truth arrived when we lined up mugs for a side-by-side comparison. And honestly? These homemade marshmallows, crafted right in our kitchen, not only held their shape beautifully and melted into a creamier consistency but tasted every bit as dreamy as the ones I savored in France. Perhaps even better, because they were ours, made with love and a touch of kitchen alchemy.

Essential Ingredients for Fluffy Marshmallows

Creating perfect homemade marshmallows relies on a few key ingredients. Each plays a crucial role in achieving that signature bouncy, melt-in-your-mouth texture and delightful flavor. Here’s what you’ll need and some helpful tips:

The Art of Marshmallow Making: From Bloom to Whip

The journey to homemade marshmallow perfection involves a few key stages, each vital for achieving the ideal consistency and fluffiness. Mastering these steps ensures a delicious outcome every time.

Indispensable Tools for Homemade Marshmallows

While the ingredients are simple, having the right equipment makes the marshmallow-making process smooth and successful. Investing in these tools will save you frustration and guarantee professional-quality results:

• Candy Thermometer: This is non-negotiable! Precision is key in candy making, and a candy thermometer eliminates all guesswork. Without one, it’s incredibly easy to undercook or overcook your sugar syrup, leading to marshmallows that are either too soft to hold shape or too hard and crumbly. Ensure the thermometer’s tip doesn’t touch the bottom of your pot for an accurate reading.
• KitchenAid® Stand Mixer: A powerful stand mixer with a whisk attachment is absolutely essential. Trust me, I’ve tried with a hand mixer, and the motor burned out! The marshmallow mixture expands significantly and requires prolonged, vigorous whipping to achieve its iconic fluffy, airy texture. A stand mixer does all the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on the syrup.
• 8×8-inch Baking Pan: For thick, substantial, and perfectly sized marshmallows, an 8×8-inch pan is ideal. This size ensures your marshmallows have enough height to be truly luxurious.
• Parchment Paper: Do NOT skip this step! Marshmallows are notoriously sticky, and lining your pan with parchment paper (and lightly oiling it) ensures they can be easily lifted out once set, preventing a sticky disaster.

Step-by-Step Guide: How To Make Homemade Marshmallows

Follow these detailed instructions to create your own batch of delightful, fluffy homemade marshmallows. Precision and patience are your best friends here!

1. Soften Gelatin (Blooming): Pour 1/2 cup of cold water into the bowl of your stand mixer, ensuring it’s fitted with the whisk attachment. Evenly sprinkle the unflavored powdered gelatin over the surface of the water. Let it sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes. This process, called blooming, allows the gelatin to absorb water and soften, which is crucial for it to dissolve smoothly into the hot syrup later.
2. Cook Syrup: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, another 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt. Stir gently just until the sugar is moistened. Avoid excessive stirring once it begins to heat, as this can encourage crystallization. Place the pot over high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Carefully insert your candy thermometer, making sure its tip is submerged in the syrup but does not touch the bottom of the pot. Cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches precisely 240°F (115°C), which is known as the soft-ball stage.
3. Whip to Perfection: As soon as your sugar syrup reaches 240°F, immediately remove the pot from the heat. Turn your stand mixer to high speed. With the mixer running, slowly and carefully stream the hot sugar mixture into the bloomed gelatin in the mixer bowl. Drizzle the syrup down the side of the bowl rather than directly onto the whisk to prevent splashing and ensure even incorporation. Once all the syrup has been added, continue whipping on high speed for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick, has dramatically increased in volume, is opaque white, and feels cool to the touch. It should hold stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted.
4. Flavor: In the final minute or so of whipping, add your vanilla bean paste and coconut extract (if using). Continue to whip for a few more seconds to ensure the flavors are fully incorporated.
5. Prep Pan: While the marshmallow mixture is whipping, prepare your pan. Line the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to help lift the marshmallows later. Lightly grease the parchment paper with 1-3 teaspoons of vegetable oil using a paper towel. In a small bowl, sift together 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of this mixture evenly over the oiled parchment-lined pan, tapping out any excess. This creates a non-stick surface.
6. Set: Once the marshmallow mixture is thick and cool, quickly scrape it into the prepared baking pan. It will be extremely sticky, so work quickly! Use a spatula lightly dipped in water to smooth the top surface evenly. Dust the top of the marshmallow mixture generously with a few more tablespoons of your cornstarch-powdered sugar blend (don’t use it all yet). Tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap, ensuring no air can get in, and let it sit undisturbed at room temperature overnight (at least 8-12 hours) to fully set.
7. Cut and Coat: The next day, your marshmallow slab will be firm. Run a thin paring knife along the un-parchment-lined sides of the pan to loosen. Using the parchment paper overhangs, lift the entire marshmallow slab out of the pan and place it onto a clean cutting board. Peel off the parchment paper from the bottom. For clean cuts, dip a sharp knife in hot water and thoroughly dry it before each slice. Cut the slab into desired shapes – typically 1-1/2 inch squares (yielding about 5 rows by 5). Immediately after cutting, toss each individual marshmallow cube in the remaining cornstarch-powdered sugar mixture, ensuring all sticky sides are well coated. Shake off any excess coating.

Creative Ways to Package Homemade Marshmallows

Once your homemade marshmallows are ready, they make fantastic gifts or special treats. Here are some delightful packaging ideas:

• Gourmet Dipped Marshmallows: Elevate your marshmallows by dipping them halfway into melted chocolate (dark, milk, or white!). Before the chocolate hardens, sprinkle them with festive additions like crushed peppermint candies, colorful sprinkles, toasted coconut, or finely chopped nuts. Let them set on parchment paper.
• Elegant Gift Bundles: Place one or two chocolate-dipped or plain marshmallows into small muffin liners. Stack them neatly, then wrap them in clear cellophane bags or decorative cellophane sheets and tie with a beautiful ribbon or twine for a charming, personalized gift.
• Hot Chocolate Kits: For a cozy and thoughtful present, pack a handful of your delicious homemade marshmallows into a zip-top bag. Pair them with a few gourmet hot chocolate packets and attach a charming free printable tag that says “Warm wishes” or “A hug in a mug.”

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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Marshmallows

By

Chelsea Lords

These Homemade Marshmallows are a culinary delight—incredibly soft, sweet, and perfectly fluffy! With the right tools and a little patience, they’re surprisingly easy to make and far superior to anything store-bought!

Prep Time:

35 minutes minutes

Setting time:

1 day day

Total Time:

1 day day 35 minutes minutes

Yields:

25 jumbo marshmallows

Equipment

• Stand mixer with whisk attachment
• Medium pot
• 8 x 8-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Candy thermometer

Ingredients

For Blooming Gelatin

• 3 (1/4-ounce) packets unflavored powdered gelatin (approximately 6 and 3/4 teaspoons)
• 1/2 cup cold water

For Stovetop Syrup

• 1-2/3 cups granulated sugar (superfine is best, but regular granulated also works well)
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Flavor & Coating

• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract (or an additional 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 3 teaspoons vegetable oil

Instructions

• Pour the 1/2 cup cold water into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Evenly sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside to bloom for 5-10 minutes.
• In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, 1/2 cup water, and salt. Stir together just to moisten the sugar. Without stirring further, bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Insert a candy thermometer, ensuring it doesn’t touch the bottom, and cook the sugar syrup until it reaches 240°F (soft-ball stage).
• Immediately remove the pot from heat once 240°F is reached. Turn the mixer on high speed and slowly stream the hot sugar syrup into the softened gelatin, drizzling it down the side of the bowl. Continue to whip on high until the mixture is thick, fluffy, has dramatically increased in volume, and is cool to the touch (about 10–15 minutes).
• In the last minute of whipping, add the vanilla bean paste and coconut extract (if using). Whip briefly to combine.
• While the marshmallow mixture is whipping, sift together the cornstarch and powdered sugar in a small bowl.
• Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Rub the parchment paper with a little vegetable oil. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of the cornstarch-powdered sugar mixture evenly across the parchment.
• Scrape the thickened, cooled marshmallow mixture into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula dipped in water (it will be extremely sticky!). Dust the top with a few more tablespoons of the cornstarch-powdered sugar mixture. Tightly wrap the pan with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight (8-12 hours) at room temperature to set completely.
• The next day, run a paring knife along the un-lined sides of the pan. Invert the marshmallow slab onto a cutting board and peel off the parchment. Dip a sharp knife in hot water and dry it before each slice to cut the marshmallow into approximately 1-1/2 inch squares (5 rows by 5). Toss each cube in the remaining cornstarch-powdered sugar mixture to coat thoroughly and prevent sticking.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Homemade marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Ensure they are well coated in the cornstarch-powdered sugar mixture to prevent sticking.

Nutrition

Serving: 25jumbo marshmallows

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Calories: 92kcal

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Carbohydrates: 23.2g

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Protein: 0.2g

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Fat: 0.2g

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Sodium: 9.4mg

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Sugar: 20.8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Delightful Ways to Enjoy Your Homemade Marshmallows

Once you’ve made a batch of these glorious homemade marshmallows, the possibilities for enjoyment are endless! Here are some of my favorite ways to savor them:

• Elevate Your Hot Chocolate: This is a classic for a reason. Drop a few jumbo homemade marshmallows into a mug of hot cocoa (especially white hot chocolate!) and watch them slowly melt into a creamy, dreamy topping. The soft texture and pure vanilla flavor are a perfect match.
• Gourmet S’mores: Take your campfire treat to the next level. These marshmallows toast up differently than store-bought ones, developing a beautifully gooey interior and a slightly crispy exterior that’s truly amazing between graham crackers and chocolate.
• Unforgettable Rice Krispies Treats: While store-bought marshmallows work, homemade ones create a Rice Krispies Treat that is incredibly soft, chewy, and rich in flavor. For a standard 9×13-inch pan of Rice Krispies Treats, you’ll need approximately 16 ounces (or about two-thirds of this recipe batch) of your fresh homemade marshmallows.
• Dessert Topping: Cut into smaller cubes, these marshmallows are a fantastic topping for ice cream sundaes, fruit salads, puddings, or even pies. Lightly torch them with a kitchen blow torch for a crème brûlée-like finish!
• Edible Gifts: As mentioned in the packaging section, homemade marshmallows make incredibly thoughtful and impressive gifts for holidays, birthdays, or just because.